Chapter 108 - Vol. 4: Mason To Haru - 108

Haru

It was near the end of the photo shoot, late into the afternoon when I felt like I was being watched. It was probably Beth or Brenna, or even the maids, so I didn’t pay too much attention. Still grinning, posing, and holding the parasol, I shifted my gaze, and there in the distance, a familiar figure came into focus.

Tall and lean, propping himself against a cherry blossom tree, his arms folded across his chest while he watched us—or just me—was Mason.

My heart skipped a beat and then raced inside my chest. Shit! What the hell was he doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be snorkeling with the others? I mean the session wasn’t meant to end until five. And it was only around four now.

“Sakura, time?” I asked, my voice a bit too shaky and nervous for my liking.

“Just about finished,” Sakura replied, still clicking away on her digital camera enthusiastically.

Jess supplied, “It’s four thirty.”

And click.

“Done!” Sakura said, a big smile on her face. “You two are awesome. Thank you so much.” She looked mightily pleased. “I can’t wait to get started on the painting.”

Jess came over and took the parasol from me and then said, “Right, my lovely princesses, let’s get you back into the house and get changed.”

“Already?” Isaac moaned. “Can’t I wear this until after dinner?”

Sakura chuckled while I panicked as I noted that Mason was coming this way.

Why is he coming this way?

I darted my eyes to look at the mansion where the entrance was. It was behind him, which meant I had to pass him to get to the house. Not good.

Sakura said, “You can wear it until after dinner if you want to, but don’t blame me if the brothers start bothering you because you are one hot property in that.”

Isaac grinned. “No worries. I’ll just knee them in the crotches if they do anything weird to me. I can look after myself.”

Jess burst out laughing. “Oh, I would love to see that happen. Please knee someone in the crotch, Isaac; it’ll make my day even better. I mean my day is already so awesome as it is, seeing Haru and you wearing the kimonos and full-on makeup, but...”

“Hey,” Mason said the moment he was in front of me.

Frozen in my spot, I licked my lip and said, my throat feeling dry as dust, “Hey.”

Isaac, his gaze shifting from Mason to me, said, “All right, let’s get back into the house. I’m damn thirsty. Phew! This modeling thing is tiring, eh?” He grabbed Jess and Sakura by their arms and started leading them away.

“You’re right,” Jess said, completely ignoring my pleading expression for her to save me from Mason. “It’s hot out here and I need that drink. Coke would be good.”

“We have plenty,” Sakura said, chuckling.

The three merrily strolled away, leaving me to face this silent fight with Mason alone. How inconsiderate of them, I thought, especially Isaac and Jess. I promised myself to give them an earful later, after I’ve somehow managed to save my hide from Mason.

I glanced up to the man, and the moment I saw him looking at me in that dark way, I panicked. I was about to make a run for it, but Mason blocked my escape route.

“You have a minute?” he asked.

I racked my brain for an excuse. “Umm... I have to go and get changed.”

“Can’t that wait?”

Shit, why won’t my heart stop racing?

I took a step back, and since seeing his gorgeous face only made it worse for my state of mind, I turned on my heel and started walking in the opposite direction.

I felt Mason behind me, close by, and I increased my pace to keep our distance. Damn, but it was hard walking in these zori shoes. Not to mention the tabi socks. My pace was too slow for my liking.

I meant to go around the pond and then head back to the house, but my brain had deserted me, and now, I found myself lost in the thickness of the garden instead, heading farther away from the mansion.

Shit.

“I think we’re far away enough,” Mason said behind me.

Pissed suddenly since he made me lose my wit about me, I snapped, “I didn’t tell you to follow me, Mason. Just leave me alone.”

I didn’t dare look at him to see how he’d reacted to that harsh demand of mine. I was afraid. Yes, I was a scaredy-cat and a coward. I knew I had hurt him with those words, but I couldn’t face the consequences of my action.

The sound of his footsteps behind me stopped, which meant he wasn’t following me, and a relieved sigh escaped my mouth.

Good.

I continued walking down the winding path alone until I came to a secluded area where there were an assortment of wild flowers and more cherry blossoms. It was like a secret garden here, the area surrounded by tall trees and bushes. There was a massive cherry tree in the middle, blooming brilliantly, and I headed toward it.

Alone, I took in a deep breath to calm myself down and to settle my racing heart. No one was going to bother me here. Mason was just being Mason, leaving me alone when I told him to. He was the one who always made peace in the family, so he wouldn’t do anything to upset anyone, least of all me. Oddly enough though, that made me feel both happy and sad at the same time. I wanted him to come after me, but at the same time I didn’t. How self-centered of me, eh?

I was deep in my own thoughts, which was obviously full of Mason, when I felt a hand wrap firmly around my arm. Suddenly, I was being pulled around and then pushed back until I was against the trunk of the tree. A gasp escaped my mouth when I saw Mason looking darkly at me.

“Mason!” I said, my eyes wide. Shit, I thought he had left me alone. So, he came after me after all. Secretly, I was elated. Fuck, I was a selfish little brat, wasn’t I?

Leaning close, he said, “You’re avoiding me, aren’t you?”

Cheeks burning hot, I shifted my gaze away from his. This only riled him up and he tightened his hand around me, which hurt and I groaned.

“Haru, look at me,” he demanded darkly.

When I continued to ignore him, he cupped my face firmly with his hand and inched closer until his nose and lips were nearly touching mine.

His breath was hot on my skin, and I felt heat rush through me as I took in a shuddering, exhilarating breath. Hot sensations began to course through me, and my knees chose that moment to turn to jelly.

Shit! What the heck?

“Why are you avoiding me, Haru?” he asked. “Do you know it hurts when you do that? You jilting me and completely ignoring me?”

I said softly, “I’m sorry.”

He raised a brow. “Is that all? Sorry?” He sighed. “Haru, would you please look at me?”

I finally gave in and shifted my gaze to him. Our eyes locked, and it was then that I saw the distraught expression on his face. My heart skipped.

“Mason? What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice shaky, worried.

He chuckled—the type that sounded both painful and sad at the same time.

“You’re asking me that when you’re the one responsible?”

Yeah, I was responsible, wasn’t I? Jilting him and ignoring him.

“I’m sorry, Mason. I didn’t mean to.”

“Tell me why you’re avoiding me,” he asked. “It’s driving me crazy.”

I wasn’t going to get out of this, was I? He’d never leave me alone until I tell him the reason.

Taking a deep breath, I said, “Because I don’t want to cheat on Aiden and Noah.”

He frowned, looking damn confused, and I didn’t blame him.

“How is that related to you avoiding me?” he asked.

I placed my palms on his solid chest so that he’d move back and leave me be. Mason, however, stood solid like a brick wall.

“Haru?” he asked. “Talk to me.”

I raised my gaze to him again and snapped, “It has everything to do with avoiding you. It’s all your fault, Mason, bringing that Elizabeth over here and then acting all lovey-dovey to her.” I turned the tables and asked, “So, are you guys dating?”

Mason looked taken aback for a moment and then shook his head. “Of course not. What made you think that?”

“Of course I’d think that, what with her clinging on to you all the time. It’s annoying. It’s irritating. It’s pissing me off.”

Mason’s expression changed from that of confusion to something else, something I didn’t like, and I started struggling in his arms so that he’d move back and I could run off. Fuck, this was so embarrassing.

My struggle only made him move in closer, his arms wrapping tight around my waist.

What the heck was he doing?

I hit his chest with my fist, just lightly so he’d let me go. I even worked on kicking him, too, but he held me firm. Tired, I slid down until I sat on the grass, my back against the tree trunk. Mason came down with me, his body trapping me there.

He cupped my face and said, “You’re jealous, aren’t you? Seeing me with Elizabeth.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m not.”

He chuckled. “Yes, you are. You’re avoiding me because you don’t want to see me and Elizabeth together.”

I snapped, “You’re wrong.” I sighed, my heart aching. In a softer voice, I said, “You’re...right. I don’t want to cheat on Aiden and Noah. They love me and I love them, no questions asked.”

“I know,” he said. “I know you love them and they love you.” He smiled, his eyes twinkling now, like he had finally figured out what was going on, which I didn’t like.

“You’re jealous when you see me with Elizabeth; you keep avoiding me, and you said you don’t want to cheat on Aiden and Noah. Doesn’t that mean—”

I shut him up by covering his mouth with my palms. I said, my eyes narrowed, “It means nothing.”

He wrapped his hands firmly around my wrists and pulled my hands back. Then he said, “Haru, do you know why I asked to speak to you privately the other day?”

I said, “To tell me you’re in a relationship with Elizabeth.”

“Like I said, she’s just a friend,” he said. “Again, you’re showing your jealousy.” He chuckled. “I must admit, it’s cute.” He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight. “It’s been hell for the past three days.”

With him so close to me, the heat of his body radiating to me, I felt comforted, like I belonged there in his arms.

“I’m sorry that it was hell for you,” I said, feeling pretty shitty about it, knowing I was the cause of it.

He moved back and then cupped my face again, gently this time. He said, “I love you, Haru. Not as a brother, but as someone I want to share my life with. Someone I want to kiss passionately. Someone who I’d do anything for and in return he’d do anything for me. Someone who’d willingly go through the good and the bad times with me. Someone who’d share his problems with me and in return listen to mine.”

I felt my heart racing again as my mind just kind of went blank. Did Mason really mean it? That he loved me in that way? Holy fuck!

I must have looked shocked because he burst out laughing. I hit his chest to make him stop, and when he did, I asked, “You’re not joking around, right?”

“Am I the type who jokes around?” he asked. More seriously, he said, “I love you, Haru. Have for a long time.”

“A long time?” I asked, my mind racing. “Since when?”

Mason shrugged. “Not sure, maybe when you turned fifteen or sixteen.”

I was dumbfounded. Another one, huh?

“What do you say, Haru,” he continued. “Us, together?”

I thought about this for a moment and then said, “But there’s Aiden and Noah, too.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “I’ve told you before, didn’t I? That I don’t mind being in a poly relationship.”

Now that he mentioned it, back at the apartment during the housewarming party, he did tell me he didn’t mind going into a poly relationship.

“I’ve already told Aiden,” he said. “He’s fine with it.”

I widened my eyes in surprise. “You did?”

“Right,” he said. “Your turn.”

I raised a brow in question. Fuck, I still hadn’t fully registered yet that Mason loved me as in loved me like Aiden and Noah loved me.

“Don’t make me spell it out, Haru,” he said. “Tell me that you love me, too, because I know you do. Your actions in the past three days is proof enough.”

I pouted and then snapped, “All right. I fell in love with you, okay? Heck if I know when it started, but it just hit me the other day, seeing you and Elizabeth together...” I looked at him and asked, “Happy now?”

He smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Very happy.” He took in a shaky breath and then said, “Fuck, but you look stunning. I’m barely holding on here.”

Barely holding on?

He leaned in close, and I realized he was going to kiss me, officially, on the lips. Heck, it wasn’t like this was going to be my first kiss, but my heart still skipped and my body tensed nonetheless.

His breath was hot fanning on my skin, and then I felt his lips on mine, firm yet soft at the same time.

Mason kissed me, full-on, his lips pressing hard against mine, feeling me, and I was feeling him, too.

“Mmm...” I groaned softly, savoring the heat and the pleasure rushing through me.

My moaning must have excited him because he tightened his hold around me and then lifted me up until I found myself on his lap, my legs on either side of him, the kimono skirt falling apart.

My head was in a daze when Mason plunged his tongue into my parted mouth, and the moment he was in, he went all out, his tongue stroking and caressing mine, intertwining with mine, doing an erotic dance with me. By the time he moved back, I was breathless.

“Fuck...” he said. “Just fuck...” He cupped my face. “You’re a pretty good kisser.”

Cheeks hot, I said, “I have my fair share of experience, thank you very much.”

He chuckled. “Aiden and Noah.”

I nodded. “Who else?”

He gently ran his fingers down my throat and then parted the collar of the kimono and I knew what he wanted to do. Shit, but it was broad daylight and we were outside and in a garden.

I asked, “Mason?”